


I'm Trying My Best

by Thylna



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Acephobia, Animal cruelty (mention), Bisexual Peter Parker, Family Fluff, Gen, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Iron Dad, LGBT characters, Parent Tony Stark, Steve Rogers is a Dad, ethnically ambiguous protagonist, i don't take myself seriously, oc is a child who gets new dads, please im begging you to think this is funny, sam wilson is kind of a dad, she's real small and is trying her best, this is kind of crack, tony stark is a dad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2019-06-28 12:16:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15707049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thylna/pseuds/Thylna
Summary: Trying to pass high school is definitely not worth this.Evelyn Bailey just wanted a passing grade, and now she'll be getting new dads who don't understand her Gen Z humour.(Starts from Age of Ultron all the way to Infinity War)





	1. Chapter 1

“There’s a Changeling of sorts on the battlefield,” Thor’s voice rang through on Comms.

What had been a galloping steed mere seconds ago turned into a raging bull and slammed its head against a soldier of Ultron, trampling the metal body and reducing it to pieces against the concrete. The bull shook its head, then morphed into a majestic eagle before flying off. A young adult scrambled to safety after their rescue. 

“Are they on our side?” asked Tony.

The changeling flew over a small group of minions and grew into a massive whale. The weight of the animal crushed them all, saving a small family who screamed their gratitude before running off. The whale shrunk down to reveal a small and slim built girl with thick, curly black hair messily tied in a bun that hung low down her head and golden eyes. She breathed heavily, looking around her, searching for someone else who needed help.

“I think so,” answered the Captain, observing the changeling in the distance before burying his shield in the chest of another minion.

The girl heard a faint cry coming from inside a crumbling building and immediately went to work. The agile form of a squirrel entered the structure through a crack in walls. A child, no older than five years old, laid underneath the remnants of the ceiling. Had the ceiling not been broken that specific way, this child would not have lived. The squirrel approached the child, assessing the situation and looking for a solution.

The mother’s scream of joy and relief could have been heard from the other side of the flying island when she saw her baby be gently carried out by an elephant with kind eyes. The child’s wrinkled and dusty sweater had a purple elephant on it. The mother reached out to its trunk, and the elephant softly placed the child in her waiting arms. Grabby hands then stretched to touch and a loud giggle erupted at the roughness of its hide. A small group of Sokovians gathered around in awe at this creature who found its way to the flying island. How did an elephant get here? There isn’t a zoo with elephants nearby, was there? The mammal called out its trumpet-like cry and lead the group to a boat that would take them to safe land.

“Okay, am I seeing things or is there an elephant over there?” Rhodey asked incredulously.

“Nope, that’s elephant,” Confirmed Tony.

“I believe that’s our shapeshifter Thor was talking about,” Steve added.

* * *

 

A pigeon flew into an alleyway off the main road, and moments later, a girl with a backpack on walked out. She glanced at the time on her phone and walked straight ahead towards the high school.

“Evelyn!” called out her friend.

“Oh hey, Maevis.”

“Did you finish English?”

Evelyn’s heart stopped, she looked at her friend with wide eyes and asked, “What did have in English?”

“We had some questions to do,” she answered, “You forgot, didn’t you?”

Evelyn sighed, “Yeah…”

“What happened to you? You’re a mess.”

“I know, I know,” Evelyn started to answer before Maevis chimed in, “I was busy.”

“You always say that Evelyn, change it up a bit.”

“Okay,” she paused, “I was fighting a robot army.”

Maevis snorted, “Alright.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just an introductory chapter, so that's why it's so short ;_;  
> An update will come soon I promise.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just a humble writer with a kink for commas and foreshadowing.

A dog in the distance howled into the night and a taxi driver drove by a small alleyway where four kittens mewled for attention and food, but mostly food.

“Hey there guys,” a soft voice cooed through the darkness, “I got you some leftovers. I hope you’ll like it.”

Evelyn crouched down on her knees and set the small plastic container down by the kittens. She pat their small heads as they happily lapped up the meat.

“Remember to share, okay?”

Heavy footsteps came into the alley and Evelyn’s instincts kicked in immediately. She transformed herself into a black cat, standing protectively in front of the kittens, waiting to see if there was a threat.

“So, were you at the battle of Sokovia?” asked the person who entered the alley. 

No answer, maybe she could avoid trouble if she kept hiding as some stray cat.

“Relax, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m Steve Rogers, Captain America, and I’d like to ask you some questions.”

 

Evelyn grew back into her human form, and for a moment the Captain was taken back at how young she looked and started to seriously reconsider. She held up her hands to stop him from commenting.

“I know, I know. I look like a twelve-year-old, but I’m not, I’m seventeen. Yes, I know that I’ve got a major babyface, I’m ridiculously short and my limbs,” she sighed looking at her skinny forearms, “look like weird twigs. I am aware of what I look like, mirrors have been invented for quite some time.”

His shoulder relaxed, “How about you answer my first question, were you at the Battle of Sokovia?”

Evelyn paused, weighing the pros and cons of lying to Captain America’s face.

“Yes, I was.”

“Thought so,” Steve nodded, “I saw you there, you’ve got good instincts kid. I gotta ask though, why were you there?”  

“I thought could help, so I did. It’s that simple.”

“Is it?”

Evelyn chuckled, “No, I guess it’s not. With powers I have, I’ve been helpless,” she gestured to the kittens, “and I’ve been powerful,” she gestured to Steve, “one of them sucks a little more than the other, and sometimes they need help. But the powerful don’t always see the helpless little people; they only see their end goal and they’ll do whatever it takes and no matter the cost. Most of the time, little people get hurt but who cares about them as long as the big bad guy is defeated right? What I want to do is... protect the little people, not fight the big bad guy.”

“So you wanna protect people? Don’t want to kill anyone?”

“What, no! Of course not!” she shook her head violently, “I do not want to kill anyone, I just…”

“Don’t like bullies?” he finished.

“Yeah, I don’t- I don’t like bullies...”

The two stood in silence for a while, stewing over the conversation.

“Evelyn!?” her mother called out from a window on the third floor.

“Yeah?!” she answered.

“Come back inside!”

“Okay, I’m coming!” she shouted, looking at Steve expectantly.

“Does she know? About your abilities?” he asked.

“Yes, she does and so does my dad,” she sighed and thought internally, ‘ _although there is something that they don’t know about’_

She shoved her hands in her pockets, “I guess I’ll be going unless you need something else.”

“I’ve got a job for you if you’re interested,” Steve offered.

Evelyn’s jaw dropped, “Seriously? Like a job-job, like a superhero mission? I just, but I- I said I don’t fight the big bad guy, so what are you-?”

Steve laughed for a bit, “Relax kid, I’m not asking you to fight anyone. I just want you to help protect someone in case things go wrong, which,” he sighed, “will probably happen.”

“So… no killing? Just protecting?”

“Yes, are you up for it?” he asked seriously.

“Uhm, yeah! I mean, of course!” she grinned, “So uh... where do I need to go?”

“Germany. Do you need a ride?”

“Nope, I got it Mister Captain America, don’t worry about it.”

“Steve is fine,” he corrected her, “and you are?”

“Oh! I’m Evelyn,” she shook his hand, “it was nice to meet you, Mister Steve.”

“… Right.”

She flew up to her apartment window, leaving him alone in the alley with the kittens.

"I meant 'what's your work name?' and you don’t have to call me ‘mister’…" he mumbled.

* * *

 

The TV in the living room played the game and Evelyn’s father lounged on the couch with a beer in his hand and her mother washed the dishes. Realization dawned on the young girl.

“Right! Sorry, mom, I forgot about those,” she apologized.

“Of course you did, just like you ‘forgot’ about your English homework,” she snapped.

“I was busy,” Evelyn defended herself.

“I didn’t hear about any bank robberies being stopped,” her father’s gruff voice retorted.

Evelyn paused for a while, “Sokovia, I was there. I saved a bunch of people too, there was this kid-“

“But you didn’t beat the big guy, did you?” he questioned harshly.

“… no, I didn’t.”

“Stop hassling her, Harold, she’s just a kid,” her mother turned towards her, “You did better, but you still need to get your grades back up like they used to be but also be a strong superhero who can beat anyone up! Sound good?” she smiled.

“Yes, mother.”

“Good, now go study something, I’m not joking about your grades Evelyn,” she said sternly.

 _‘Maybe Germany is a bad idea.'_   She thought walking back to her room, thinking about what she just accepted to for Captain America, what if it was too much? What if she failed the one time someone actually asked for her help?

What if this ended up exactly like the last time she signed up for something without fully understanding what she was getting herself into? Only, she wouldn’t be so lucky. For now. 

"Ugh, I need to go fix this mess before it gets worse. Hopefully, he didn't get too far." 

* * *

 

An owl perched on a traffic light scanned the intersection near the alley with the kittens, but after finding nothing, she flew further down the street. She caught the familiar head of blond hair hiding behind a dumpster, speaking to someone on the phone. She glided down and landed on the dumpster right next to his face. 

"I'm gonna call you back," he spoke into the phone glancing at the owl beside him.

Evelyn morphed back into her human form, "we need to talk about what I just signed up to do."

“Second thoughts?”

“No, well, maybe,” she took a breath, “last time I signed up for something I did it without knowing anything. I realize now that it was a stupid mistake and could’ve gone worse but it didn’t, so I’m trying to learn from my mistakes. Tell me what’s going on.”

“Alright.”

He explained everything he had to: the fight between him and Tony and Bucky’s situation.

“So, you want me to make sure Mister Barnes gets to the plane? But how do you want to do that? I’ve never fought another superhero and I’m-” she started rambling.

“Hey,” he said calmly, “it’s okay. Just do your best, sometimes that’s best any of can do.”

“Just do my best, okay. I can do that, no problem. Why would that be a problem? I know what I’m doing, I can do this,” she started rambling again.

He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a soft understanding look, “you don’t have to do this, alright?”

She considered her choices, continue her life as a back-alley superhero who occasionally showed up to major battles only to do minor work as a nobody, or start getting into the big leagues.

“I’m ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Impulsively making a possibly life-changing decision without second thoughts later? Unrealistic. I'm begging you guys, please comment.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *crawls in* lord this chapter killed me. Mostly just small scenes because I physically Cannot. One Small Detail that was changed from canon, you'll see it.  
> Dialogue is my friend, action scenes are not. But practice is important I guess.

“I’m shaking your hand too long,” Scott exclaimed, “Wow! This is awesome.”

While flying through, a pigeon slammed its head against the metal bars blocking the window next to them. Everyone turned to look at the bird flapping its wings as it tumbled down, then stared in surprise and confusion as the pigeon turned into a young girl dressed in leggings and flannel with a brown purse crossing over her chest.

“Sorry, sorry! I know I’m late, but I got lost in the parking garage. I mean, this place is huge! It’s bigger than my entire apartment building.” she apologized as she stood up and brushed off the dust. 

Everyone exchanged looks asking each other who this girl was and if it was really okay that she was here. 

“You alright kid?” Steve asked her.

“Yeah, let’s do this thing!”

Sam cleared his throat and gave Steve a nudge, “You sure about this, man?”

“Look, it’s great to be here Cap but if I knew we’d be getting kids involved-” Scott stepped in.

Evelyn interrupted them, “Okay okay okay okay, you guys don’t take me seriously, that’s fine I understand. I wouldn’t take me seriously either. But I can take care of myself, don’t worry about me.”

“Are you sure?” Sam asked, “it’s not like we’re rescuing cats from falling off trees.”

“I know and I can handle it,” she answered, “Uh, I haven’t introduced myself yet. So hi, I’m Evelyn.” She held out her hand.

He uncrossed his arms and shook her hand, “Sam Wilson, I’m the Falcon.”

“Oh, you want a superhero name. Then I am… I don’t have one yet, and BeastGirl is out of the question since I don’t want DC to sue me. But I’m open to suggestions!”

Steve chimed, “How about Changeling? That’s what Thor called you.”

“Changeling? No, that’s stupid. It makes me sound like some kind of goblin.”

“Well, you’re small enough to be one,” Sam quipped.

Evelyn opened her mouth to protest but Clint stopped her.

“Changeling? Were you in Sokovia?” he asked.

She nodded her head, “Yep, I saw you and you,” she pointed to Wanda, “but I don’t think you saw me, I was pigeon at the time. You almost hit me too, but it’s okay I understand. Oh, but please don’t hit me later, I constantly live in fear that I’ll die as an animal.”

Clint awkwardly nodded his head, “Noted.”

“Mister Lang, Evelyn, we’re outside the law on this one. Is that alright?” Steve asked.

“Yeah,” the two responded in unison and stared at each other.

Scott went first, “What else would be new?”

“And I jaywalk all the time, so I guess you could say I’m used to breaking the law too,” she added.

* * *

 

Evelyn and Wanda sat in the van while the rest of the team suited up for the airport fight. They exchanged awkward hellos and small talk.

“So, why are you here?” Wanda asked her.

Her eye filled with child-like wonder, “Are you kidding me? Actual Captain America showed up at my house and asked me to help him, what am I going to do? 'no, sorry I have to write an essay about Abraham Lincoln.’ oh no wait. I do have an essay… dang it.” 

 Wanda let out a small laugh at her innocence and bright spirit. She was still full of life, full of hope for the world. She still believed in ‘good guys’ and ‘bad guys’, and that eventually ‘good guys’ would win and the world could live in peace.

“You remind me of myself,” the redhead started, “I was once like you.”

“Young and dumb?” Evelyn grinned.

Wanda truly laughed at that one, “in a way, yes.”

“I know that I’m naïve, okay?” she said in a soft voice, “I know the world is a terrible place. There are racists, misogynists, homophobes, transphobes, pedophiles and the list goes on. But I want this world to be better, and in the words of John Lennon ‘you may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.’”

“’And I hope someday you may join us.’”

Evelyn beamed at her reply.

Steve knocked on the door, "We're ready to go."

* * *

 

“Hey when this is over, will you buy me a donut?” Evelyn asked Sam.

“No,” he answered.

“Why not?”

“Because.”

“Well, that’s not fun.”

Scott chimed in, “Did someone say donuts?”

“Yes, I did. But he won’t buy us some,” Evelyn answered.

“What? Why not?”

“I don’t know, he just said ‘because’!”

“Well that’s not fun,” he pouted.

“I know, that’s what I said.”

“Hey,” Steve called, “We’re here.”

“Okay, I’m gonna go hide somewhere and wait until you need my help. Good luck everyone!” she yelled.

* * *

 

Captain America held off the Black Panther while War Machine began to charge at him with the immobilizing taser. But his attack was brutally cut short when a bull running at full speed, knocked him over, making him drop his weapon. Dazed from the impact, War Machine stayed down and the bull turned into a harmless little fly, able to stealthily get into the perfect position. From behind, the Black Panther had an actual panther pounce on his back and blocking his vision with her paws. She was easily thrown off but did not receive impact as she managed to turn herself into an armadillo. Her shell absorbed the damaged and Captain America was already gone, her little job here was done.

* * *

 

“I hate you,” Sam grumbled to Bucky.

A small hummingbird flew in through the hole in the window where Spider-man just crashed through and came near the two.

“Jeez, I can’t believe you two just got taken down by a kid and now you’ve got a kid saving you,” Evelyn snickered, “maybe you guys should retire, let the youth take over.”

Bucky sighed, “Just get us out of here.”

“Right away Mister Barnes!” she nodded while getting out a small pair of sewing scissors from her purse and began cutting away at the webs.

“Bucky,” he corrected her.

“Right, sorry Mister Bucky Barnes.”

* * *

 

 

Team Captain lined up in front of Team Ironman on the airport’s runway.

“So what’s the plan now?” Evelyn asked as they started to move forward.

“We fight,” came Steve deadbeat reply.

“Okay, but I meant more like are we doing one against one? Or are we teaming up? Also, I just noticed that-” her chatter was interrupted by Ironman slamming his fists against Captain’s shield, “-Okay never mind things are happening!”

“What is it with kids and talking during a fight?” mumbled the Falcon as he flew by with Vision hot on his trail. 

Evelyn morphed into a falcon and chased Vision, her speed steadily climbing until he was no match for her. She flew directly above him, dodged his blast from the mind stone and transformed into a Komodo dragon that clung to him with sharp claws. The chase ended as they both came crashing down back to Earth. She rolled away and landed on her feet that became ones of a falcon and flew off to find another teammate who needed some help. 

Her eyes caught the sight of Captain America trapped in Spider-man's webs so she glided down, but by the time she reached them, the Captain had already dropped the jet bridge onto the teenager and left. 

"Woah dude, you're crazy strong! How many tonnes is that?" She gawked.

"Um, about seven?" He guessed with a strained voice, "you're not gonna attack me, are you?"

"Nah, I'm just here to help my new friends if they need it. See ya!" 

* * *

 

Iron-man and War Machine went after the Captain’s and Bucky’s jet with Falcon trailing behind them. Evelyn transformed herself into a golden eagle to hopefully make the two would not get caught by team Iron-man. Vision used his mind blast which the Falcon avoided, Evelyn felt a strong twist in her gut and everything seemed to go in slow motion. She saw the blast hit War Machine instead and remembered that Peregrine Falcons have a faster diving speed than any other bird.

War Machine tumbled down to his death. 

Evelyn’s wingspan shrunk as she took the desired form.

Iron-man screamed.

With her built up memento from earlier and with the help of gravity, she barely managed to reach him before he hit the ground. She swooped under him and turned around so that her back was facing the ground, as her body grew in size to become one of a bear. Thick arms wrapped themselves around him as she braced for the hit her shoulder and side would take. She felt the clear snapping of a bone as the two slid against the ground. The friction caused the fur on her shoulder to be ripped out so harshly it drew blood. The pained roar of a bear woke up War Machine with a start. He pushed the bear away, and Evelyn rolled over to the other side before sitting up.

“What the hell?” he sputtered, “aren’t you on their side?”

Iron-man and the Falcon landed nearby, both were speechless at what they just saw. What could they say to this young girl who almost risked her life to save someone who wasn't even on her side? Should they thank her? Should they scold her for making such a reckless decision? Was she okay?

Evelyn went back to her form and held on to her injured shoulder.

“I… think I’m done,” she breathed heavily, containing her pain from the bleeding.

The three looked at each, waiting for one to speak first.

“Alright kid, I’ll take you back to the runway. It’ll be easier for you to get help for that shoulder.” Falcon offered as he walked towards her.

He helped her up and Iron-man spoke, “you can drop her off with Spider-man, those two should get along. I'll call a medic for that shoulder."

The Falcon nodded as he carried her off, making sure not hurt her.

“Now will you buy me a donut?” she asked.

“Maybe.”

* * *

 

Sam landed near Peter, startling the teenager who was still in his spider-man suit but lacking the mask.

“Relax, I’m just here to drop her off here so she can get medical attention as soon as it gets here,” he said to put him more at ease.

She sat down with one leg propped up and still held on to her injured shoulder, purse in the other hand.

“Are you all good here?” Sam asked.

“Donuts would be nice,” she quipped.

Sam turned to leave.

“With rainbow sprinkles!” she yelled as he took off.

Evelyn turned back to face Peter, “Hi, I’m Evelyn. We met a little bit ago.”

“Yeah, I’m Peter. So, what can you do? Like, what are your powers and stuff?”

“You saw them, I turn into animals and have some sort of instinct.”

He gasped, “Really? That’s so cool! You’re like BeastBoy from Teen Titans!”

“Not really, it technically makes me furry which kind of makes me want to die. But what about you, what are powers?”

“I’m spider-man,” he proudly which made Evelyn snort, “hey that’s not supposed to be funny!”

“I’m sorry, but doesn’t that technically make you a furry too?”

“No! No, it doesn’t! It’s different, I am not a furry,” he argued.

She rolled her eyes as she laughed, “Okay, whatever. What’s the deal with your suit? Do you, I don’t know, wear it under your clothes like a Superman?”

He scoffed, “would you?”

“No of course not, I wouldn’t be able to cuff my jeans because then you could see the suit.”

Peter started adding things up; the flannel, rainbow sprinkles, jokes about wanting to die and cuffed jeans. Is she queer?

“This is an awkward question, but are you gay?” he asked her.

“Yeah! Well, asexual, but still queer.”

“Me too!” he grinned excitedly, “I’m bisexual.”

“Hi bisexual, I’m asexual,” she replied with a chuckle.

“Okay!” he said in between wheezing, “I was sitting here and Mr. Vision came by and asked what I was doing. I said I was on stand-bi and he didn’t laugh! It was the worst.”

“I think you ace-d that pun.”

“Thank you.”

“No, thank you. Talking helped distract from my messed up shoulder,” she genuinely smiled, before groaning. The adrenaline was starting to wear off and her broken collarbone was starting to protest. 

“Can’t you just transform into something that heals really quickly? Like a lizard or a spider?” 

“Yes, I could have. But then I wouldn’t have talked to you, and talking to you was fun.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when your wifi craps out as soon as you hit post chapter and ao3 deletes all your work :))))))  
> If you're looking for some irondad, it's soon, i promise

Evelyn sat on the examination table with her left leg crossed under the right one while her right shoulder was getting patched up. She stared down at the ground and swung her right foot back and forth. Her medical examiner exchanged no words, as per the order that was given. They silently put her in a sling and Agent Everett Ross walked in.

“Good afternoon, Miss Evelyn. I need to ask you a few questions.”

She looked up and saw him take a seat in front of her.

“We’ve got footage of you in Sokovia,” she tensed at his words, “why were you there?”

“I wasn’t going to let people get hurt, not if there was something I could do,” she muttered, staring back at the ground.

“And how did you know Ultron was going to Sokovia?”

“I happened to be in the area,” she lied.

He rose his eyebrows, “Really? Because we have evidence that you were still in school the day before, which is nowhere near Sokovia and there were no Evelyn Baileys travelling that day. So, I’m going to ask you again. How did you know Ultron was going to Sokovia?”

“I may have been a fly on the ceiling of the Avengers tower.”

“Do you just casually spend evenings there? Or did you know something was going to happen?”

She nodded silently, answering the latter.

“And how did you know? Who told you?”

No answer.

Ross sighed, “Listen, I want to make this easier for you. Believe me, I do,” his eyes held a softness out of sympathy, “but I have a job to do. Please cooperate with me here, alright?”

“I don’t how to answer that question, that’s why I’m not answering it,” she said.

“Does it have anything to do with your abilities?”

Bull’s eye, “Yes it does. But I’m not sure how to properly explain my instincts or my powers, I've never had to do that before.”

“Just tell me what happened, that’s all I’m asking.”

“I was watching a news report, I saw what happened in South Korea. I got like an um... twist? In my gut? Like my body was warning that this was just the beginning. And when I saw that the Avengers were involved, I decided to sneak in and get information.”

He nodded, taking notes, “And how did you get your abilities?”

“Would you believe that I was like this?” she chuckled nervously, “or tripped and fell into some chemical soup?”

Ross looked up and gave her a stern look.

With a huff, she started answering truthfully, “fine. Last year I was failing Bio and my teacher offered me some extra credit. He said that if I volunteered for a one-time experiment, he’d raise my grade. I was so desperate for something to help me pass that I didn’t even pay attention to what I was getting myself into so I took it without a second thought. He gave me an injection and I’m not sure what happened after that but when I 'woke up', I had these powers.”

“I don’t want to sound rude but-”

“Yes! I did try to study, every day for hours and it didn’t work! The semester went by too fast and I found myself overwhelmed with the extra credit from other classes and there was no possible way I could finish in time,” her voiced cracked as she went on, “My family was absolutely no help, they mostly just yelled at me to ‘do well in school’ but also 'be a superhero since you're meant for great things'! Their solution to everything was just to work harder and it'll pay off eventually. But my hard work never paid off and when they saw it they said ‘you didn’t work hard enough’. You think I chose the easy way out? Well, you wouldn't be wrong but you also wouldn't be right. Someone gave me a ‘get out of jail free card’ and I took it. What would you do if someone offered you that?”

Her jaw trembled and wiped her cheek with her good arm.

“No one is blaming you, Evelyn, we’re just doing our job.”

“Some job you have, interrogating a child.” She spat before realizing what she said, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking- it’s been a long day and-“

“Don’t worry about it,” he interrupted her, “this definitely isn’t the nicest part of my job, but I still have to do it. Let’s get back to this interrogation, shall we?”

She nodded silently, staring at the floor again.

“Alright, good. And please don’t turn yourself into a fly or something and escape. My boss would kill me.”

* * *

 

Tony Stark and Secretary Ross sat in a meeting room, listening to the interrogation. She sounded so small on the tape, and she looked even smaller in person. It was hard to believe this child was almost an adult.

“Alright, I can’t take it anymore,” Tony snapped after her confession.

He stood up and turned the player off and rested his hands on the table, staring down at it.

“I don’t like either, but she is by definition an enhanced person who broke the law and according to the accords-“

“She’s a kid!” he yelled, “and a good one too! She saved Rhodey, she saved some people in Sokovia, all she’s done is save people!”

At that moment, he understood Steve Rogers so much so that he almost became the Captain.

“The same could be said about Maximoff,” he argued, “This girl is dangerous and she’ll only get more dangerous as she grows older. We need to make sure she’s not a threat and will never become a threat.”

“So what do you want to do to her? Lock her up in some government testing facility? I’m sure she’ll take that well. Teenagers love having their will stripped away.”

“No, I have something else in mind.” 

* * *

 

“And that concludes our little interrogation. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Agent Ross stood up to leave.

“Wait, I have a question for you.”

“I may or may not be able to answer it.”

She anxiously fiddled with the hem on her shirt before quietly speaking, “What’s going to happen to me now?”

“I’m afraid I can’t answer that.”

And with that, she was left alone again. She could escape very easily, and her first instinct was to do so. But the government would hunt her down, her shoulder was hurt, there were definitely some highly trained guards and she did not know her way around the building. Not to mention, her purse was taken away and she had to get it back.

She was, technically speaking, trapped.

A nurse came by and gave her the doctor’s orders and when Evelyn asked her how long she had to stay there, the nurse simply told her to do as she was told.

So she did, she sat in silence reading posters that were hung on the walls. Her mind felt like it was melting she was so bored. When the door opened again, allowing Tony to stroll in, she practically jumped.

“Oh, hi Mister Stark! I didn’t know you were gonna show up so this is kind of a surprise. I have to say, it's awesome to meet you in person! But uh, they didn’t tell you what’s going to happen to me, did they? I’ve been freaking out about it for the last half hour.”

The way she sounds so scared made his heart break for the second time.

“You’re gonna be fine, kid, in fact, you’ll be better than fine!” he exclaimed, hoping to get her excited.

But her eyebrows knotted upwards and her mouth hung in fear.

“Usually when people say that, they're lying to make you feel better…”

He sighed and stared out the window, “they’re deciding to go easy on you so you’ll be released on parole. You have to follow the law and you get a curfew, but you’re still allowed be,” he made vague hand gestures, “whatever you’re alter ego is.”

“Amber Morph,” she paused, “I just made it up like ten minutes ago, what do you think?”

Her golden eyes and morphing abilities came to mind.

“Sounds good kid,” he placed a hand on her good shoulder, “do you have a suit?”

“Oh no, I-I didn’t see the point in making one because I didn’t the resources nor the money and it’s not the animals I turn into would even be wearing it so,” she stuttered.

“I’ll make you one, brand new, custom made, I’ll put in an AI. Just for you, what do you say?”

“Oh, you don’t have to that Mister Stark. Please, there’s no need to spend so much money, I could never pay you back.”

“Pay me back?” he scoffed, “don’t be ridiculous. Consider it a thank you gift, for that.” He pointed to her injured shoulder.  

* * *

 

Evelyn walked down the dark and dirty alleyway with the kittens and found Steve Rogers leaning against a brick wall. She set the small dish down for the kittens and smiled at the captain.

“Mister Rogers, what are you doing out here?”

“I’m just checking in on the newest Avenger, and didn’t I tell you to just call me ‘Steve’?”

“Yes, but teenage rebellion is in fashion,” she smirked.

He chuckled as he shook his head, “they have you under parole, don’t they?”

“Yes,” she answered, looking back to the kittens who were getting big.

“You should know that the right thing to do isn’t always legal and they might make you do some things that you don’t agree with. That’s what it means to sign those accords.”

“Yes, I know. But I also know that contracts signed by minors aren’t legally binding unless there’s a parent or guardian present who also sign. Which they know, so technically I’m not under the accords yet.”

“I’m surprised the government didn’t call them down.”

“They tried to, but they don’t answer phone calls from people they don’t know and I think the government decided it wasn’t worth the trouble. I’m not sure what convinced them though.”

“They’ll probably make you sign it when you turn 18.”

“Yeah, I’m not looking forward to it but I’ll stay optimistic.”

Steve nodded and the two stood in the alley, listening to the city noise for a while. Sirens wailing in the distance, dogs barking and cars driving by.

He pushed himself off the wall and started making his way out, walking by Evelyn.

“Oh, by the way, Sam wanted me to give you this.” He pulled out a paper bag from Dunkin Donuts and she audibly gasped in excitement.

“He got me a donut!” she squealed while opening the bag only to find carrot sticks, “Oh, he did not. That monster! I can’t believe he did something like this.”

“Nutrition is important, kid!” Steve yelled.

“Your words don’t mean anything to me! I’m immune to your lectures!”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> acephobia and abuse tw because sometimes parents are Bad

So much for 'no breaking the law'. Although, it's technically fine as long as you don't get caught.

The American Museum of Natural History was eerily quiet this night on the upper West side of Manhattan. The security cameras blinked red lights to indicate that they were on and the occasional guard walked around. The newest addition, the Titanosaur stood tall and proud in the dinosaur area of the museum. The high ceilings were perfect for this massive exhibit.

If Evelyn could gasp or squeal in excitement, she would. 

Unfortunately, fruit flies don’t have the same ability to express emotion as humans do.

She waited in front of the Tyrannosaurus Rex for the guard to leave before transforming back into herself. She wore the suit Tony had awkwardly given her, which followed by an awkward hug. As promised, the suit had an AI who had access to information about all the animals she could turn into to help her decide which form is best for what situation. The lining was a beautiful golden colour with a light shine to it while the rest of the suit was dark green, almost black. Several pockets had been sewn on the legs, eliminating the need to carry a purse like she did in Germany. A mask covered her face to protect her identity but did not cover her hair as it would be nearly impossible to fit over her head.

Her bare hand reached out to touch the bones and her fingers felt the familiar tingling sensation. Her golden eyes shone bright, like a flashlight, before swirling back down. She stepped back from the massive reptile and looked for the other dinosaurs on her priority list.

“Hey Alexa, where’s the Deinonychus in this place? It should be in the Saurischian section, right?” Evelyn asked the AI in her suit.

“ _The Deinonychus exhibit is on your left, Evelyn._ ”

“Oh, it’s literally right there. I am blind,” she chuckled, “After I leave, can you add the Tyrannosaurus Red, Deinonychus, Pterodactyl and Triceratops to your database thingy please?”

“ _Of course. May I also recommend the Barosaurus? The neck alone is 8 meters high, which is already taller than a giraffe. This could prove useful in the future.”_

“Uhm, yeah sure. I don’t see why not.”

Without being caught, she completed her goal and transformed back into an unnoticeable fruit fly and snuck out. When she no longer needed the fruit fly appearance, she became a common pigeon who could easily blend into the streets of New York. She flew from Manhattan to Queens and kept watch on the suspicious neighbourhoods she knew very well. A top a mildly respectable apartment building, she saw none other than Spider-man sat on the edge.

“Peter!” she called out after transforming back.

His head whipped around and his mouth was already stuffed with the sandwich in his hand.

“Evwelymn!” he said, voice muffled with his food.

“Ew, hasn’t anyone told you not to talk with your mouth full? No one can understand what you’re saying,” she chided, taking a seat next to him.

“You can’ un’erstanf wha I’m shaying?”

“StOP,” she groaned.

He smirked and finished chewing, “So, how have you been? I didn’t see you since Germany.”

“Alright, I guess. Mister Stark gave me this suit, and I have a superhero name now! It’s Amber Morph. Oh! I can turn into a few dinosaurs which is pretty cool. What about you? Still high on the fact that you met Captain America?”

“Uh, yeah! It was Captain America.”

She snickered, “Hey, hey, how did you take down Captain America?”

In a terrible German accent, he replied: “We shot him in ze legs because hiz shield iz the size of a dinner plate und hez an idiot!”

Evelyn joined in at the very end starting wheezing with Peter.

“Hey, you should join this group chat,” he offered, “it’s for teenage superheroes.”

“Okay so like, at least half of them are queer?” she grinned.

“Yes,” he nodded in between laughing.

“Oh, that’s so great. I don’t have a lot of people in my life who are, or even know that I’m- hey, this a weird question since we’ve only met once so you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but are you out to your family?”

“Yep, my aunt has known for years. And since she’s the only family I have left…” Peter trailed off.

“Oh,” she nodded solemnly, “I haven’t come out to anyone in my family. And I really want to, but I just… don’t know how to go about it.”

“Are you afraid of their reaction?”

“Yeah, 100%,” she chuckled dryly, “I’m already a disappointment to them. Pretty sure that being asexual would only add to that.”

He nodded and hummed in understanding, “It’s your choice, Evelyn. I can’t and shouldn’t make it for you. If you want, my aunt would let you spend the night, she’s very understanding.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it. Again, kinda weird that we’ve only met once and we’re already like best friends.”

“That’s just gay culture,” he shrugged.

* * *

 

Evelyn’s mother, Linda sat in her chair in front of the TV with a crossword puzzle in her lap.

“Mom? When’s dad coming back from work?” Evelyn asked.

She hummed while thinking, “What time is it?”

“It’s 9:30.”

“He should be back within a half hour, why?”

Evelyn felt her heart hammer away in her chest as she felt the anxiety sink in, “There’s something I want to tell you, and before I tell you, I want you to know that it doesn’t change who I am and also I’m not sure if I should tell dad or not, so I wanted to tell you first and I’ve been really scared to-” her voice cracked as she went on.

“Evelyn!” her mother gently snapped, “calm down. I can’t understand you when you ramble like that.”

She shakily sat down on the sofa.

“Now,” Linda said, “what is it that you need to tell me?”

“I’m… asexual,” she finally said, staring down at the ground.

Linda looked up from her lap and looked at Evelyn, “I’m sorry, what? You’re asexual?” she let out a small laugh, “So, you’re a plant? That’s what you’re telling me? You really should’ve paid more attention in science class, I’m telling you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t say such ridiculous things.”

“I-I, no, that’s not what I meant,” Evelyn stuttered as she furiously blinked away tears.

“Then what is it that you mean?” Linda demanded.

“I’m not attracted to men, or women or anyone in between. I’m not interested in… you know? Intercourse…”

“Oh don’t worry, you’ll like it eventually. Although, I would prefer it if you didn’t become a lesbian. I may accept gay people, but I don't want my only child to be one.”

The lump in Evelyn’s throat did not go away when she gulped.

“Okay, mother.”

She left the couch and hid in her room, one wall separating her from the living room, and flopped down on her bed. Her pillow muffled her sobbing, something she’s grown accustomed to doing is crying quickly and silently. Her phone vibrated, it was a text from Peter.

_Peter: did you come out?_

_Evelyn: yea, I don’t think it went well tho :/_

_Peter: I asked May and she said it’s okay if you want to spend the night here_

The apartment's front door swung open, and her father’s footsteps went into the living room. Evelyn rolled out of bed and pressed her ear against the wall after hearing some voices, though it was muffled she could hear what they were saying.

“Evelyn told me something odd today, Harold.”

“What’d she say this time?” he sighed, already annoyed.

“She said she’s asexual, to me, it sounds like something is wrong with her.”

“For once I think you’re right, I think she’s broken. It sounds like she’s not even a human anymore,” he chuckled.

_Something is wrong with her._

_Broken._

_Not a human anymore._

Those words resonated in her mind. She wanted it to stop, but he kept going. Why did her mother tell him even though she said she wasn’t sure? Why would her own mother out her?

“I’ll bet she got screwed up because of her powers, chemicals messed with her brain. I’m sure a professional could fix her back to normal.”

_Screwed up._

_Chemicals messed with her brain._

_Fix her back to normal._

Her back slid down her wall and she sat there, processing what her ears just made her listen to.

“Evelyn! Come back in here, we need to talk to you!” her mother yelled.

She frantically wiped the tears off her face and headed out.

“Yeah?” she asked in a meek voice.

“Your father and I talked. We think you need to be fixed, but if this turns out to be a phase, then that’s even better.”

“It’s not a phase, this is who I am. I’ve known for years, but I didn’t have a label to-“

“That’s enough Evelyn!” Harold shouted, “Accept the treatment, we know what’s best for you.”

“Treatment?” she asked, horrified, “You- you want to change me?”

“No,” Linda answered, “we just want to fix you. You’ll thank us later.”

“No!” Evelyn yelled, “I don’t need to be ‘fixed’ because there’s nothing wrong with me! There’s no ‘cure’ for asexuality because it’s not some kind of disease!”

“Evelyn!” her father booming voice cut in, “get the hell out of here! I’ve had enough of this! I've had enough of your terrible grades! I've had enough of your lazy attitude! And I've had enough of your incompetence! You are not welcome here anymore!”

Evelyn stood there, eyes wide and mouth agape.

“Harold! What are you saying?”

“Come on Linda! Do you really want to let a freak show live with us? She’s not even bringing anything home. I work every day, you work every day and what does she do? Nothing, she doesn't deserve to live here. And now she wants some more because she's special? Absolutely not.”

“I… suppose you’re right,” her mother accepted defeat.

Evelyn’s father turned to her expectantly, “Because, I’m generous, I will give you one more chance to prove yourself to us in the future. But until then, I never want to see you under this roof. And you better be out of this unnatural phase by then.”

She slowly nodded her head.

“Now get to it!”

* * *

 

With a large gym back strung across her chest and her school bag on her shoulder, Evelyn climbed up the stairs to Peter’s apartment with a blank face. It was a little after 11 at night, past her curfew, but what could she do in these circumstances? She felt bad for doing this, but she did tell Peter she would be showing up right before she left her home for good.

“Yes? Oh, you must be Peter’s friend,” May answered the door, “come on in.”

Evelyn could feel the motherly love around her and her eyes watered.

“Thank you, Miss Parker,” Evelyn said brokenly, “please, let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

“Oh that’s not necessary, and you can just call me May.”

May soothingly placed her arm around Evelyn’s shoulder and guided her towards the sofa. A pillow and pastel coloured quilt had been placed on it.

“I’m not sure where Peter is right now, but you can just make yourself comfortable. If you need to use the shower, go ahead. Let me know if you need anything else.”

Evelyn silently nodded for what felt the millionth time that day. May’s arm left her shoulders and she left the living room to sleep for the night. Evelyn placed her bags on the floor by the couch and crawled under the blanket.

When the shock finally wore off, she stopping staring blankly into space and got some sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a blog for this fic, feel free to follow me! This is where I'll be posting the memes and shitposts that don't make the cut to be written in 'canon'.   
> https://evelynsquotes.tumblr.com/

The sun rose again and shone through the window of May’s living room, Evelyn listened to the street noise before blinking the sleepiness away and sitting up. She picked out the toiletries and clean clothes she needed and quietly walked to the bathroom.

Within 20 minutes she wrote a thank you note and left the apartment for her school in Brooklyn.

* * *

“Hey Alexa, what's going on this area?”

“There seems to be an unusual number of reports of household pets going missing,” the AI responded.

“Alright, that should keep me occupied for a while…” she said while stifling a yawn.

She lifted herself off from the ground of the building’s roof and stashed her bags under an above ground ventilation unit.

“Evelyn, I would highly recommend getting some rest. Your energy levels are low.”

“And where could a homeless teenager do that?”

“There is room at the Avengers’ tower, would you like me to contact Mister Stark or Madam Parker?”

“No, it's fine. I don't want to be annoying. Where was the latest disappearance?”

“The latest disappearance was on Pearson Street in Queens _. _ ”

“Thanks Alexa.”

She spent the next couple of hours searching around the area, but found nothing. Her stomach was loudly protesting but her bank account was just as empty. No one said that being a teenage superhero paid very well. How long could she live like this? What was the life expectancy of a beggar? Would she even be able to graduate high school? She was beyond tired, needed a shower and a washing machine. Peter tried to convince her to stay another night, at least take a shower or eat a complete meal, but all she think about was what her father said about her. She would not prove his point by freeloading off of the two Parkers' kindness no matter how much Peter begged. Besides, she could survive just a little bit longer before she'd have no other choice, right?

Evelyn slumped against a tree in Court Square and slid down, sitting down and pressed her face in her shaking hands.

“Evelyn?” Alexa’s voice asked softly, “you've broken your curfew for the third day in a row. As per protocol, I must inform Mister Stark.”

She laughed dryly at the mention of her curfew, “huh, I almost forgot about that. How come the government hasn't hunted me down?”

“Your curfew is under special circumstances, it is monitored by a parent or guardian. If there is a problem, they must inform the government.”

“Well, I doubt they did any of that…”

Evelyn eyes dropped and she let out another yawn. Making herself comfortable, she got ready to take a nap with her head against the trunk and legs crossed. There was no point in fighting anymore, no point in hiding from Tony Stark.

“Wake me up if anything happens…”

“Alright, Evelyn. Mister Stark will be here shortly.”

Evelyn groaned, accepting her fate, “How am I going to say this to him?”

Tony Stark didn't know what to expect to find when he left the tower. But they definitely didn't have tear stained cheeks, greasy hair and bags of lost sleep under their eyes.

But there she was.

Sat on the cold wet ground with nothing but the clothes on her back. Her cheeks had lost their colour, her shoulders had a subtle and constant shiver from the chilly autumn weather. 

“Evelyn? He's here,” Alexa woke her up.

She hummed and turned to look at him.

“Oh hey, Mister Stark. Could you spare some change for the homeless?”

Her eyes were uncharastically devoid of young happiness. Yellow is the colour of joy, it’s the sun on a warm sunny day. It’s the fields of flowers in spring that announce new life. It’s the colour of optimism and energy. Her eyes showed none of that, only the intense guilt of deceiving someone and paralyzing fear of the future.  

He stepped out of the Ironman suit, “Evelyn… what happened?” he asked, voice laced with concern and worry.

She sniffled, “I…” she darted her eyes away from him, “got disowned by my parents.”

If one listened very closely, you could hear his heart break just like Evelyn's voice.

He kneeled down in front of her, “when did this happen?”

“Three days ago,” she answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world, “it's kind of hard to be home before curfew if you don't have a home.”

“You do now,” his response was immediate, “come on kid, we're going to the tower.”

He turned to leave and Evelyn bolted up.

“Wait, no! I can't stay at the tower.”

“Why not? If you're worried about getting to school, Happy can drive you and-”

“That's not it, I just don't want to… I don't know,” a sad sigh left her lips, “waste your money or-or space”

“I'm gonna stop you right there,” he rested his hands on her shoulders and bent down to her eye level, “you are never a waste of space and I would be happy to spend money on my mentees.”

“But I… Are you sure about this? You want me at the tower? I mean, I haven’t done much and I’m not very smart unlike Peter who-“

“I’m not asking you to be like Peter. I’m asking you to stay at the tower, the streets are not safe for a young girl. Evelyn, please, you have to understand that I’m just looking out for you.”

She hiccupped, “o-okay…”

“Alright, let’s get you home.”

* * *

Evelyn’s wet hair was wrapped in a towel, her clean body enveloped in warm pyjamas. In the extravagant living room, she laid on a long couch curled up in a ball on her side. Tony had gotten her a warm drink which was placed on the coffee table. Evelyn watched the steam coming from the cup until it eventually died down and she slowly rose up into a seated position and took a sip.

For the longest time, the air felt thick and awkward. Like one was expecting the other to do something but both lacked courage. 

Tony hadn’t pressed for details but it was obvious he was going to ask her.  

So she finally bit the bullet. 

“Do you think I’m still human?” 

He stopped filling out paperwork on the table behind her.

“Of course you are. What makes you ask me that?”

She set the hot mug in her crossed legs and nervously rubbed the edge, “I came out to my parents as asexual. They said that wasn’t natural.”

Tony got up from the kitchen table and made his way over to her while Evelyn kept talking. 

“They said it had something to do with powers, that the chemicals screwed up my brain.”

Tony sat down next to her and held eye contact. 

“They talked about me like… I wasn’t even a person anymore. Like I was just a living mistake.” 

He wrapped an arm around her in a one-armed hug.

“You will always be human at heart, who you are doesn't change that. You saving Rhodey’s life was more than enough to prove that to me and anyone who thinks otherwise can take it up with me,” he spoke with sincerity, “you're one of us now. The Avengers are your new family.”

“What about Mister Steve and his team? Are they still part of the Avengers?

“Oh Cap? Well,” he shrugged, “he's not legally part of the Avengers, but they're all there for you too. All you gotta do is ask.”

Evelyn smirked, “two families huh? It's like I'm the child of a divorced couple who visits the one every weekend.”

“Yeah, I guess, although I would prefer it if Cap didn't drag you into illegal activities again.”

 

* * *

 

Evelyn:  _ guess who just became an Avenger? :P _

Peter: _ no way!!! That's awesome!!! Tell me everything _

Evelyn:  _ something something come stay at the tower something something welcome to the fam kiddo _

Peter:  _ Wow, that's great! :) _

Shuri:  _ lmao someone's jealous _

Peter:  _ AGFSGSCDHG SHUT UP _

Peter: _ but fr tho I'm really happy you found somewhere to stay _

Shuri:  _ ^^^^ _

Shuri:  _ YOU DESERVE NICE THINGS AND SCREW YOUR EX-PARENTS _

Evelyn:  _ vjxbrgjFNDJFB THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH??? _

 


	7. Chapter 7

Evelyn was given her own room, it was spacious and very well lit thanks to the incredible windows that overlooked the city. The choices for the interior were already pre-made, so it was a standard bedroom with a neutral colour scheme, but she was given permission to make some changes provided that she didn’t somehow get herself in trouble. When she first walked in, she was amazed.

“Oh, wow,” she gasped and spread her arms, “my hands aren’t touching any walls right now! This is amazing! You know, my old room was actually just a renovated closet, my bed took up half the floor space.”

Tony hummed, leaning against the doorway, “so you really were in the closet, huh?”

Evelyn squealed and turned around to face him, “You made a gay joke! For me! Oh my god, this is the best day of my life.”

She ran up to him and gave him a massive hug, “Mister Stark, thank you so much, I would die for you,” she said after pulling away.

Tony stared into space for a few seconds to process, “Right, I’m going to add a first aid kit to your suit and a program your AI to warn me about any injuries...”

Vision phased through the wall and into the room, startling Evelyn.

“Hey Vis, didn’t we have a conversation about using doors?”

“Yes, but you’re blocking it right now, Mister Stark,” he replied and turned to Evelyn, “I understand this is the new recruit. Hello, and welcome.”

“Oh hey, I remember you!” she shook his hand, “There was that time during Ultron and in Germany.”

“That’s correct, you must be the shapeshifter.”

“Yep, that’s me, my name’s Evelyn and I’m Amber Morph.”

* * *

Evelyn:  _ Guys i met Vision _

Peter:  _ noice _

Shuri:  _ ok I’m coming to visit you lmao _

Evelyn:  _ ADSGADSF WHAT _

Peter:  _ YEA WHAT?? I mean, this is so cool I can’t wait to meet you irl _

Shuri:  _ well, there’s this crazy guy who’s tryna steal the throne from my brother, you know how it is, and if this goes real bad I’m gonna need somewhere to run _

Evelyn:  _ godspeed friend, godspeed _

Peter:  _ ya, so that’s worrying _

Evelyn:  _ wait no, this is so sad _

Shuri:  _ ALEXA PLAY DESPACITO _

Evelyn:  _ ALEXA PLAY DESPACITO _

Peter:  _ i should not have named my suit person Karen _

 

* * *

Tony entered the empty kitchen the next morning. Evelyn had already left for school. Rhodey would show up soon and Vision didn’t eat breakfast. On the kitchen stove, was a freshly baked pie, the sweet aroma of apples and spices filled the air. He picked up the note next to it, handwritten by Evelyn in her messy fashion. 

_ Mister Stark, thank you so much for everything you’ve done. I can’t give you any money since I’m poor, consider this as payment. I hope I don’t let you down :)  _

“Kid…”

Rhodey walked in, read the note and let out a chuckle, “you found yourself another kid, Tony.”

* * *

The bright glow of fluorescents filled the classroom and the last five minutes of school were going by quickly for some while agonizingly slow for others. Evelyn sat at her desk, her left leg lightly swung back and forth. Her textbook was in her lap and propped up against her desk. Notes were scribbled in the margins of the pages in her binder and Evelyn struggled to keep up with the teacher. The slides were going by before she even had time to fully process what was being said, leaving her little time for writing her notes.

1 minute left, everyone started to pack their things up.

“Settle down everyone, the bell hasn’t rung yet.”

When has a student ever listened to that? 

The bell rang and the exhausted teacher dismissed everyone. Students filled out of the class and Evelyn was just starting to put her things away, cursing herself for being so slow. 

“Come on Evelyn, we all want to go home,” the teacher chastised, not out of anger or annoyance, but more out stress and fatigue. 

“Yes Miss Murphy, see you tomorrow.”

“Oh hang on there, I almost forgot that I wanted to ask you something. Is everything all right with you? Some of the staff and I concerned.”

“Well, there are ups and downs, you know?”

“Yes, I do know, a little too well,” she laughed, “But you haven’t been doing too well in your classes, so if you ever need any help, the staff is always here.”

Evelyn smiled, “Okay, but what about you Miss? Are you doing alright?”

“Oh bless your heart, Evelyn. I’m fine. But I'm serious, if you want some extra credit or after-school tutoring, just let any of your teachers know. You’re a great student and there’s nothing wrong with needing an extra push.”

“Okay, thank you.”

* * *

 

Evelyn opened her locker in the girls changing room, which was thankfully empty. She pulled out the gym bag containing her suit and got changed. After stashing her clothes into the bag and stuffing back into the locker, she snuck out through the slightly open window, leaving her backpack behind.

Her inconspicuous house fly form buzzed away from the school until she far away from any watching eyes to transform herself into a pigeon. 

Back in Queens, she returned to the latest location of a household pet disappearance. 

“Hey Alexa, what else can you tell me about these disappearances?” Evelyn asked, crouching down from the top of a roof. 

“One of the older cases was found again on 10th street. The feline had been disembowelled and left on the sidewalk.” 

Evelyn felt her heartache, “god, that's so awful. Who would something so messed up?”

“The NYPD has a few suspects, but there is very little information to build a case. The disappearances appear to be random.” 

Her stomach turned, “so that means whoever is doing this, is doing it for fun.”

“It would appear that way, Evelyn.” 

“Alright,” she ran her hands through her hair at the back of her head, “can you tell me the name of one of the suspects? I want to do some spying.” 

“I'm afraid only the officers of the NYPD would have access to that information.” 

“Yeah, that sounds about right. Where’s the department for this precinct?”

Evelyn jumped up and stretched out all her muscles and looked around herself. She stood in Jackson Avenue, on top of the Court Square Station. The sidewalk was nearly empty, a small group of people stood outside the diner smoking. 

“Are you planning to break into a New York police department?”

“Well, yeah… Wait, that’s illegal isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is, Evelyn. I’m afraid I cannot help you and should you break the law, I must inform Mister Stark.”

“What? You didn’t do any of that when I snuck into that museum!” 

“The museum exhibits were open to the public and your guardian or guardians can always see your whereabouts while you are in this suit.” 

“Really? What if I don’t want my guardian to see where I am?”

“Then you must complete your training, or take the suit off.” 

“Oh, I guess that’s reasonable in case I go missing or whatever. So how would you help out with this?”

“I would suggest keeping watch on the smaller streets with residential housing in Long Island City and prevent further disappearances.”

“Alright sounds like a plan.”

* * *

From atop a desolate looking building across apartment buildings, Evelyn watched people walk up and down the streets with a literal eagle eye. She kept in mind one character who struck her as suspicious. A man who could never stay seated on one bench, took notes when someone walked past with their dog and jumped up when he heard a cat’s meow, then shuffled back to a bench. Perhaps it was nothing, maybe he was just a man who really liked cats and dogs and wrote down the location and time he saw or heard one. 

It was about an hour later when someone else walked into the small park sat down next to the man. They had a long black overcoat and a laptop bag and their back was turned so she couldn’t make out a face. Without hesitation, she flew down settled herself on a branch close to the two characters. They exchanged no words, but the man passed his notebook to his new companion and then left into the night, clutching something in his pocket. The one with the laptop bag remained seated and watched the empty streets.

Evelyn couldn’t place a finger on why, but something seemed very odd and ominous about this encounter. The pair obviously knew each other, meaning the first one was probably waiting for this meeting, but why did they not speak? Not even a hello, just silence. It’s as if the two were expecting someone to eavesdrop. It wasn't a lot to go on, but she had suspicions that these two might be somehow involved with the animal mutilator. 

A harrowing cry was heard, and the person still sitting on the bench did not move. Until they heard a pigeon flapping its wing towards the direction of the cry, they smirked. 

 

* * *

Evelyn was on her way home after saving a dog from a terrible fate and she was about to go over her old home, but instead, she decided to check on the kittens she was feeding. Out of the three grey shorthairs, only two were remaining. Dory, the quick trusting and loving cat, was gone. 


End file.
